The Best Credit Card Signup Bonuses for Easy Money (2020)

One of the best ways to get free money is to take advantage of credit card bonuses and promos. Credit card issuers frequently offer generous bonuses in order to entice new customers to apply, and this equals easy money. Whether you’re getting cash rewards or travel miles/points, there are always some great offers available.

If you’re the type of person that can use credit cards for everyday expenses without getting into debt, maximizing the cashback and rewards that you earn is something that is well worth the small amount of effort that it will take.

Of course, most of the leading credit cards offer some sort of cashback or rewards as a percentage of the money that you charge to the card, but many cards also offer a bonus that can be earned by new cardholders. This may be called a signup bonus, a spend bonus, or something else. In order to qualify for the bonus, you’ll need to spend at least a specific amount of money on the card within a certain time frame (for example, spend $1,000 in your first 90 days to qualify for the bonus).

With some cards, the bonuses can be huge. If you’re considering applying for a new credit card, why not choose one that will pay you a nice bonus?

This article will highlight some of the best bonuses that are currently available, but there are a few things to keep in mind when you’re evaluating these cards:

Be sure to consider the spending requirement as well as the bonus. Most of the cards with the larger bonuses will also require you to spend higher amounts in order to qualify. Be sure that your regular expenses will allow you to meet the spending requirement with no problem.

Do you want cash or travel rewards? Some of the best bonuses are offered by travel rewards cards. Some of these cards will allow you to claim your rewards as cash, but you’ll get a better value if you use the rewards for travel. Plan ahead and you can use these cards to get huge bonuses towards a vacation or upcoming trip.

Some of the cards featured here have smaller bonus offers, but they’re still a great deal because the spending requirement is very low. These are a perfect option if you’re looking for a bonus but you don’t have regular expenses that would allow you to meet the spending requirements of some of the other cards.

Best Credit Card Bonuses:

Signup Bonus: 60,000 points (equal to $750 of travel if redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards)Spending Requirement: $4,000 in the first 3 months

The Chase Sapphire Preferred tops our list of best bonus offers, and it’s also considered to be one of the best travel rewards credit cards. In order to qualify for the bonus, you’ll need to charge at least $4,000 to the card within the first 3 months. If your regular spending habits allow you to charge that much to the card, or if you know you have a big expense coming up, this card is an excellent choice.

The bonus is 60,000 points, which can be redeemed for your choice of cash or travel. Those points could be redeemed for $600 in cash. But if you want to maximize the value of the bonus, you can use them for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and get $750 in free travel. There are no blackout dates and no restrictions or expiration dates on the rewards.

For your regular spending, you’ll earn 2x points (2 points for every dollar) on travel and dining out and one point per dollar on all other purchases. This card does have a $95 annual fee.

Signup Bonus: 50,000 points (equal to $750 of travel if redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards)Spending Requirement: $4,000 in the first 3 months

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is another excellent travel rewards card with an amazing bonus, but this card isn’t for everyone because of its $550 annual fee. Extensive travelers may find that the outstanding rewards and perks of this card more than make up for the high annual fee, but the average person is better off going with another card.

In order to qualify for the bonus, you’ll need to spend $4,000 within the first 3 months (the same requirement as the Chase Sapphire Preferred). The bonus for this card is 50,000 points, which seems to be less than the bonus for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, but if you’re redeeming the points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal it comes out to the same $750. That’s because the Chase Sapphire Reserve gives you 50% more value for your points through Chase Ultimate Rewards while the Chase Sapphire Preferred gives you a 25% bonus. This is one of the main reasons why this card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers.

You’ll also earn 3x points on travel and dining, as well as 1 point per dollar on all other spending.

Some of the perks of this card include no foreign transaction fees, free access to 1,000+ airport lounges around the world, and up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔®.

The $550 annual fee is definitely a factor that you’ll need to consider, but Chase softens the blow by giving $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement each account anniversary.

Signup Bonus: 50,000 points (equal to $500 of travel)Spending Requirement: $3,000 in the first 3 months

The Capital One Venture Rewards is another leading travel rewards card. The bonus of 50,000 points can be used for $500 of travel, and the spending requirement of $3,000 in the first 3 months is slightly lower than the requirement for the first two cards on this list.

While the signup bonus is not quite as good as the Chase Sapphire cards, the regular rewards for your spending are actually better. With the Venture Rewards card, you’ll earn 2x points for every purchase, which makes it nice and easy to remember.

Your points can be used toward travel with any airline or hotel. There are no blackout dates and your points/miles won’t expire. You’ll also benefit from having no foreign transaction fee.

The Venture Rewards card has an annual fee of $95, but it is waived for the first year.

While some of the best bonuses are offered with travel rewards card, the Savor gives you an excellent option if you’re looking for a nice bonus with a cashback card. The bonus is $300 and you’ll need to spend at least $3,000 in the first 3 months to qualify.

You’ll earn 4% cashback for purchases of dining and entertainment, 2% cashback at grocery stores, and 1% cashback on every other purchase.

Now we’re getting into some smaller bonuses, but these cards still offer an excellent opportunity because of the very low spending requirement. The Capital One Quicksilver is an excellent cashback credit card with a $150 bonus after you’ve spent at least $500 within the first 3 months.

You’ll also earn 1.5% cashback on every purchase that you make with the card, with no limits.

The Quicksilver also has a few other perks like no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months.

The Chase Freedom card also offers a $150 bonus if you spend at least $500 in the first 3 months.

This card will allow you to earn 5% cashback on purchases in categories that rotate each quarter. For example, one quarter you might earn 5% cashback on purchases at gas stations and the next quarter you might earn 5% cashback for purchases at grocery stores (the 5% cashback offers are on the first $1,500 of spending in that category each quarter). All other purchases outside of that category will earn 1% cashback.

This card also has no annual fee and 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee for balance transfers).

If you like to maximize cashback, the Chase Freedom is a must-have card. The 5% cashback really adds up, and you can use another card that offers higher rewards for your purchases in other categories.

The bonus offer for the Chase Freedom Unlimited is the same, $150 after you spend at least $500 in the first 3 months. However, the on-going cashback is different. With the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you’ll earn 1.5% cashback on all purchases. There are no rotating categories and no caps.

Like the Chase Freedom, the Chase Freedom Unlimited has no annual fee and 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (3% fee for balance transfers).

This card is another excellent option if you’re looking for a nice bonus with a low spending requirement. The $150 bonus is very nice for the spending requirement of just $500 within the first 3 months.

The U.S. Bank Cash+ can be a great cashback card, depending on your spending habits. You’ll earn 5% cashback on purchases in two categories of your choice (up to $100 in cashback per quarter). You’ll also get 2% cashback in one everyday category (like gas or groceries) of your choice. And you’ll earn 1% cashback on all other purchases.

This card has no annual fee and 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 12 statement cycles.

Signup Bonus: up to 100,000 pointsSpending Requirement: $5,000 in the first 3 months

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless offers a great bonus (although you do need to spend $5,000 in the first 3 months in order to qualify), but it’s hard to compare it to the bonuses of other cards. The value of the bonus can vary significantly depending on how you use it.

You’ll be able to use your points for nights at Marriott-owned hotels and resorts around the world, but the number of points that you’ll need will vary depending on the caliber of the hotel/resort and the location. As a result, it’s impossible to put a real cash value on the points without knowing how you would use them.

If you’re looking to maximize the value of the points and you have flexibility in your travel plans, the value of the points can be quite significant.

This card will give you 6x points for every dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2x points per dollar for every other purchase.

Best Bonuses from Business Credit Cards:

So far, we’ve looked at several cashback and travel rewards credit cards. Now, let’s take a look at the best bonus offers that are available for business credit cards. These won’t be an option for everyone, but if you own a business (including the self-employed and freelancers), these cards are a great option.

If you spend an average of $1,000 or more per month on business expenses, the Chase Ink Business Cash offers a generous bonus of $500.

This is also a great cashback card for your everyday business expenses. You’ll earn 5% cashback at office supply stores, as well as internet, cable, and phone services (on the first $25,000 spent each year).

You’ll also earn 2% cashback on purchases at gas stations and restaurants (also capped at $25,000 in spending each year). And you’ll earn 1% cashback on all other purchases.

This card has no annual fee and you can get employee cards at no additional cost.

The Capital One Spark Cash for Business offers the same $500 bonus as the Chase Ink Business Cash, but you’ll need to spend $4,500 in the first 3 months in order to get it (as compared to $3,000 with the Ink Cash for Business).

The cashback component for this card is simple. You’ll earn 2% cashback on every purchase with no limits or restrictions. You can also get free cards for your employees.

As you can see, there are a lot of amazing bonus offers available from credit card issuers. Find the one that is best for you and you’ll love the easy money. For more offers, don’t miss our Free Money page.

About The Author

I've been working in internet marketing full-time since 2008. I started VitalDollar.com to share from my experience and to help others who want to improve their own financial situation. Since starting Vital Dollar, I've been featured at sites like Forbes and Business Insider. You can read my full bio here.

Disclosure: Information presented on Vital Dollar and through related email marketing is intended for informational purposes only and is not meant to be taken as financial advice. Please see our Disclosure for further information. Responses and comments below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. They have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. Vital Dollar has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Vital Dollar and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

Information presented on Vital Dollar and through related email marketing is intended for informational purposes only and is not meant to be taken as financial advice. The administrators and authors of Vital Dollar are not financial professionals, and views expressed on the site are strictly personal opinions. Vital Dollar recommends that you consult a financial professional for specific advice for your own personal situation and do your own research before making any financial decisions.

VitalDollar.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Vital Dollar has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Vital Dollar and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.